Chelsea announce new shirt sponsor

Chelsea have played two competitive matches without a sponsor this season [Getty Images] Chelsea have announced a new one-year front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with Circle Internet Group. The agreement will promote USDC by Circle, a digital "stablecoin" designed to maintain parity with the US dollar, on the front of the player's shirts this season. Chelsea said in a statement that Circle "enables people and businesses to move money globally with internet speed and 24/7 availability". The Blues started the season without a shirt sponsor for the fourth consecutive year since their last long-term deal, with telecommunications company Three, ended at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season. Since then, Chelsea have agreed shorter-term deals with AI company Infinite Athlete and Dubai-based property company Damac. However, they have also spent longer without a front-of-shirt commercial partner than any other Premier League club during that period. Chelsea say their new deal with publicly-owned Circle Internet Group will give them new sponsorship revenue in line with their expected market rate, which was believed to be about £50m per season, though the exact figures have not been given. According to The Sponsor, which publishes an annual Premier League fair market value index for front-of-shirt and sleeve sponsorships, Chelsea's projected value fell from £50.3m to £33.6m after they finished 10th in the Premier League at the end of last season. Sources at Stamford Bridge have explained that they carefully selected the partnership due to both partners prioritising innovation and the desire to be future facing, highlighting the USDC - as a cryptocurrency - is regulated and backed by the dollar. The brand will appear on Chelsea's shirts for the men's, women's and academy teams, with the Premier League match against Brighton at Stamford Bridge set to be its first appearance. It remains unclear whether another long-term partner will be sought or whether Circle opt to extend their deal beyond the end of the 2026-27 campaign.